


Forget the Mistletoe

by CaladeanFey



Category: Naruto
Genre: Christmas, Comedy, Developing Relationship, F/M, M/M, Party, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 12:14:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17121170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaladeanFey/pseuds/CaladeanFey
Summary: Christmas party in modern day Konoha High School.Naruto has liked Sasuke for years now and this years class Christmas party is the last one before they graduate. Will he have the courage to confess or will he let this chance go by just like the last five years.(Naruto and Sasuke should be together all they need is a little help from a secret shadow santa.)





	Forget the Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> So far this is just a oneshot but I made it to where I could expand upon it in the future if I want to. :)
> 
> MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

 

             _“Deck the halls with boughs of holly fa la la la la la la la la.”_ The Christmas carol came singing out over the intercom as Naruto teeters dangerously on an eight foot ladder in an attempt to hang the last of a piece of shimmery green garland with silver Christmas trees to the roof of his homeroom. Below him Shikamaru is sorting through a box of shiny glass Christmas ornaments in a rainbow of colors. Kiba and Neji are busy at the other side of the classroom trying to set up an artificial Christmas tree that just barely has enough room at its top for a star before hitting the ceiling.

             Lee is helping Sakura and Ino decide what music and finger foods to have at their homeroom Christmas party tomorrow. They want to keep the music Christmas themed but have enough beat to be able to get up and dance if they want to. Lee keeps insisting on an elaborate cake the exact same size as the Christmas tree. Sakura finally has to tell him flat out not in a million years and if he wants it so much he can bake it himself. That puts an end to his dreams of grandeur since everyone knew from their 7th grade picnic that anything Rock Lee cooks is to never be offered to another living soul.

            Several days of food poisoning hell later Lee was banned from all kitchens for life, they had signed a petition and presented it to his family who not only signed it themselves in permanent marker but framed it in his room as a reminder. Strangely enough Lee had been incredibly happy that his classmates had cared about him so much, (cared for their lives was more like it).

            On another ladder Gaara is hanging paper snowflakes Hinata hands him from a cardboard box. Hinata had made them all herself the night before since origami is her hobby. The room is full of other scattered boxes full of decorations and knick-knacks. All the desks had been pushed and stacked against one wall so it is a big open space except for six desks they’d shoved together for putting stuff on. Chairs likewise were stacked by the wall except the ones occupied by Lee, Sakura, and Ino.

            Every year Konoha High allows the students to spend the last day before break partying all day in their homeroom class. Class A, which was theirs, had been together since 5th grade so they had really gotten into it. Since their last day is tomorrow they were all staying after class to set up and decorate. Ino, Sakura, Gaara, and Sai will make the main food courses that night and bring them in in the morning, while everyone else would just bring desserts and drinks. Their homeroom teacher Kakashi always supplied silverware, plates, napkins and cups so they don’t have to worry about that.

           Then the class also does an ornament exchange. Most people do gift exchanges but back when they had all been broke eleven year olds they had come up with the brilliant idea of hand making ornaments and exchanging them instead. It is pretty interesting to see what people came up with every year. Plus as they got older and more experienced they moved on from pipe cleaners, cardboard, and tin foil to wood carvings, knitting’s, beads, wirework, and glass blowing in some cases.

           Naruto finishes pinning up the garland and just leaps down from the ladder instead of climbing down, like a normal person. He easily lands on his feet. Escaping out his third floor bedroom window every Friday night for five years to secretly hang out with Kiba, Shikamaru, and Gaara till four a.m. had made him quite the acrobat.

          “Hey Naruto if your done with the garland take these to Gaara.” Shikamaru says handing him a handful of glitter covered white plastic snowflake ornaments.

          “Sure.” Naruto says taking the ornaments and walking over to Gaara and Hinata who is handing him the last of her origami snowflakes.

          “That’s the last one.” She tells him in a soft voice. Gaara nods instead of replying as he takes it and attaches it to a wire hook under a ceiling tile.

          Hinata turns to put away the box and Naruto high fives her as he passes.

          “Great job Hinata the snowflakes are fabulous as always.” He says as she claps her hand to his free one.

         “Thank you Naruto, you did good hanging the garland.” She replies sweetly.

         “Why of course, I am the master of garland hanging.” He brags striking a pose.

         “After seven years of it you had better be.” Gaara says from atop his perch on the ladder.

         “You know Gaara I think we are about to have an earthquake.” Naruto threatens taking hold of a ladder leg.

         “Its six feet, I’ll live.” Gaara retorts back.

         “Well mister bring it on here are some more snowflakes for you to hang.” Naruto huffs.

         “Fine, give them here.” Gaara says holding out a hand for the plastic decorations while pulling out another wire hook from his hidden stash.

         “Your wish is my command your majesty.” Naruto says with a full bow and hand wave.

         “That’s right commoner know your place.” Gaara preens.

         “Aren’t you guys cousins?” Ino says as she passes with a box in her hands.

         “Ino! How could you take away Gaara’s epic delusions? It’s all he has to look forward to each day besides the circles under his eyes getting darker.” Naruto says moving his hands over his heart in a wounded manner.

         Something whistles threw the air.

        “OUCH!” Naruto yells as a plastic snowflake smacks into the top of his head.

        “Oops, that ‘accidentally’ fell out of my hands.” Gaara air quotes accidentally with a big grin. “Besides its eyeliner and you know it Naruto.”

        “Please you’re probably not getting enough sleep because you and Neji are banging like bunnies every day till 2 in the mor- OWOWOWOW!!!!!” GAARA!” Naruto shouts at his cousin who didn’t drop the sharp plastic snowflakes so much as threw them at Naruto’s unguarded face.

         “This is domestic violence!” Naruto yells.

         “Whatever he did you deserved it.” Neji hollers from across the room.

         “You’re part of the guilty party here Neji!” Naruto yells back.

         “Quit goofing off and finish up already.” Sakura orders them all.

         “Yes ma’am.” The three of them mumble as the rest snicker and giggle at their scolding.

         They spend about twenty more minutes decorating before Sasuke and Sai who were on shopping duty get back with the table clothes and new light bulbs they needed for the Christmas tree. Forty minutes, two electric shocks and a spilt box of jingle bells later they had finished up everything and Naruto was able to put the star on the tree. It was a lovely golden color with twinkling white lights around the edges that made it glow in the dark.

          They finished setting up and start to leave in groups to go home. Lee walks with his girlfriend Sakura and Ino, Kiba takes Hinata home in his car, Sai and Sasuke leave by themselves, and Naruto, Shika, Neji, and Gaara decide to walk the twenty minutes back home since it isn’t all that bad out. It isn’t supposed to snow till the day after their party and it is about 48 degrees outside with a slight wind.

          They bundle up in jackets, hoodies, mufflers, and scarves to ward off any chance of getting a cold. Naruto wears a dark blue jacket with a black and orange scarf over blue jeans and his orange and black sneakers. Gaara is decked out in a red hoodie, jeans, and a red and black scarf that is a match to Naruto’s since they both got them from their grandmother Tsunade.

          Shikamaru wears a ragged greyish coat that after years of use was as thin as a jacket but the turtleneck sweatshirt underneath keeps him plenty warm. He doesn’t have a scarf but instead wears brown ear muffs to keep his ears warm. Neji is wearing a waist length tan coat that only models on a walk way wear, it has fake fur trim at the sleeves and top that is as soft as can be. His long hair is all he neds for his neck to keep out the cold.

          They spend the walk home talking about what to bring the tomorrow. Naruto always brings chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles, so he decides to continue the tradition for their last year as high school classmates since next year they will all be in college or starting jobs. Gaara will help Naruto with the pretzels but he also needs to bring a main course food so Neji suggests a 5 layer dip with chips. Shikamaru always does drinks since he is too lazy to actually make something. Neji and Hinata are doing a surprise which he refuses to spill to them, despite persistent badgering.

          They split up the last five minutes of their journey each going to their respective homes in the little suburb area, Naruto and Gaara live in one huge three story house that houses both their families. Gaara has two older siblings Temari, and Kankuro, while Naruto just has his older brother Kurama. However, both their siblings are on a four day trip to Suna to help with the moving out of the Namikaze-Uzumaki and Subaku families. Naruto and Gaara’s parents are moving their families to Suna at the end of February, but Naruto, Gaara, Kurama, and Minato will stay in their house in Konoha until the end of May when the boys graduate.

          Naruto and Gaara will finish high school in Konoha and then they can either live at home and attend college at Suna or stay in the dorms at the Konoha College. Gaara and Naruto still aren’t sure what they want to do yet, but they have a good five months to figure it out for sure. Naruto really doesn’t want to leave all his friends in Konoha but he wants even less to be away from the family he so dearly loves. Plus Suna has a better course program for what he wants to major in than Konoha. Suna is a two and a half hour car drive away from Konoha so it isn’t that bad of a commute but it will put a strain on some of his relationships.

          The only friends that know about the move so far are Neji and Shikamaru. He hasn’t told Kiba because he knows he can’t keep a secret. Naruto doesn’t want his last year of high school to be full of the melancholy knowledge that he might be leaving hanging over all his classmates’ heads.

          When they reach home the lights are off since Minato is working till late and their siblings are in Suna buying new furniture for the new house. Naruto and Gaara had both lost their mothers at a young age and Gaara’s father works overseas and comes home only every 4-6 months. Their grandparents Tsunade and Jiraiya live with them as well but at the moment they are on a trip to Florida for Jiraiya’s “research” for his job. After changing into more comfortable clothing they go to the family’s big kitchen and begin gathering ingredients to make their Christmas party food items.

         Naruto lays out wax paper on the counters while Gaara takes out a bag of mini pretzels, chocolate and white almond bark, followed by two containers of green and red sprinkles. Gaara melts the white almond bark in a microwave safe bowl before handing it to Naruto. Naruto takes the bowl and a pair of tweezers they use for cooking and starts dipping pretzels in one at a time. After he shakes off the excess almond bark he lays the pretzels them on the wax paper.

         Gaara quickly drops the sprinkles on the pretzels before the almond bark hardens. Once done with the white almond bark they repeat the process with the chocolate almond bark. When they are completely done the counter is covered in rows upon rows of festively decorated pretzels. Naruto pops one into his mouth and savors the sweet taste of almond bark and the salty breaded taste of the pretzel underneath.

         “God I can never get over how good these taste.” He says eating another one.

         “That’s your last one the rest are for the party.” Gaara reminds him, while taking out a big Tupperware container.

         “I was only going to eat the two.” Naruto swears.

         Gaara just cocks an eyebrow at him and reaches for a chopping knife.

         “So what kind of layered dip are you making again?” Naruto inquires.

         “Neji suggested 5 layer dip, but I think Shikamaru was right when he said just do 3.” Gaara answers.

         “Yeah, sounds more reasonable. So refried beans, guac, onion, salsa, ranch, or cheese?” Naruto asks getting ingredients form the fridge and spoons.

         “I think refried beans, cheese, and ranch would be good.” Gaara replies cutting into a block of sharp cheddar.

         “Sounds good.” Naruto replies already opening a can of brown beans and heating them on the stove in a small metal pot.

         They talk as they work about how the Christmas party will go and if the people whose names they picked in the raffle will like their ornaments. Naruto had picked Hinata, while Gaara had gotten Sai. They aren’t supposed to reveal who they got in the raffle and no one was allowed to trade, but Gaara and Naruto live together so it was bound to happen. Plus they ha run ideas by each other.

         “I’m sure Hinata will love hers Naruto, I just hope Kiba doesn’t get to jealous.” Gaara tells Naruto.

         “Nah he’ll be fine, besides we never tell who makes what ornament.” Naruto replies.

         “Yeah but after this long it gets pretty obvious.” Gaara states.

         That is true. At the beginning of the party everyone brings in their ornaments in the same size boxes with the same wrapping paper, taped on the box will be a sealed envelope telling in typed letters who it is for. This is all so no one could tell who the their secret Santa is. But because they have been together for so long it does get a little obvious. After all not all of them can paint masterpieces like Sai and Neji, carve 3-d figures like Naruto, make origami ornaments like Hinata, create mechanical moving ornaments like Sasuke, Kiba, and Shika, knit and sew ornaments like Sakura and Ino, or do bead and wire work like Gaara and Lee. Yeah it does become just a little obvious who does what.

         “Point.” Naruto concedes.

         “More importantly are you going to tell him this year?” Gaara asks.

         Naruto drops the spoon he had been smashing beans with.

        “Come on Naruto it’s been like, five years. You’ve got to confess this year. We’re already seniors in high school.” Gaara pleads.

        Naruto picks the spoon back up and continues smashing with new gusto.

        “I know Gaara, but it’s _Sasuke_. He’d reject me in a heartbeat and laugh about it.” Naruto answers sadly.

        That’s right for five years Naruto Uzumaki has had a secret unrequited crush on the moody not completely gothic great Sasuke Uchiha. They like everyone else have been together since fifth grade but in eighth grade Naruto had noticed his friendship feelings towards Sasuke where different from the ones he had toward, Neji, Kiba, and Shikamaru. They were even different from the familial love he feels for Gaara.

        In freshman year of high school he found out just what type of feeling it was thanks to Sasuke walking out of a shower dripping wet with water after a particularly grimy class of P.E. Naruto had spent the next thirty minutes hiding out in a stall trying to calm his raging hormones down.

        After that Naruto had distanced himself from Sasuke because he was afraid of these new feelings and was unsure how to handle them. Naturally the friendship kind of just fizzled out till they were nothing more than childhood friends in the same class with mutual friends. In fact around that time was when Sasuke had started hanging out with Suigetsu, Jirobo, and Karin from the class down the hall from theirs that was known as the trouble making B class. It had bothered Naruto a little how easily Sasuke let their friendship go, but at the same time it had relieved him.

       “You don’t know that he’ll reject you Naruto. Besides what if he doesn’t reject you? Then you could start your rosy colored gay high school life.” Gaara insists.

       “Your preaching your own gay colors a little loud there aren’t you Gaara.” Naruto teases.

       “Oooh is the bi guy jealous?” Gaara laughs.

       Naruto flips him off in response.

       “And when he does reject me what then huh? We sit two seats away and share every class together but two. How is that going to work out with the whole you’re a guy and I like you but since you rejected me we’re cool now I’m just going to longingly stare at you from across the room and occasionally drool over fantasies of your naked body, even though I will never get close to actually touching it because you now think I’m some sick, gross, homo, pervert!” Naruto rants.

       “Wow you’ve really gone over this scenario in your head a lot haven’t you?” Gaara says quirking an eyebrow.

       “A few times.” Naruto admits sadly.

       “Ever have a good ending?” Gaara questions carefully.

       “Never. But I did get sawed in half in one.” Naruto says with a slightly pained smile.

       “I wanna ask, but at the same time I don’t.” Gaara says shaking his head.

       “Good.” Naruto replies grimly.

       “Still think you should confess to him.” Gaara pushes.

       “I actually made a bet with myself that if by some miracle I picked Sasuke’s name in the ornament raffle I’d make an ornament for him that would basically spell out “I love you baka”, but I got Hinata so that bet was lost.” Naruto says regretfully.

       “Wow, that would have been down right romantic.” Gaara says surprised.

       “Right. Plus even if he did reject me at least he would still keep the ornament so I would feel like I got some kind of closure.” Naruto smiles sadly.

       In the seven years they had been doing the ornament gift exchange Naruto had never once pulled Sasuke’s name. Gaara had but that was the first year, before Naruto had feelings for him so it’s not like it could have been used to his advantage.

       “Just remember Naruto this is our last year together before everyone goes their separate ways. You and Sasuke aren’t even friends anymore. If you don’t establish some kind of connection with Sasuke before it’s too late you won’t even have anything with him anymore.” Gaara warns.

       “I can’t be his friend again Gaara. If we did rekindle our friendship and spend more time together it would be great but what about when he gets a girlfriend or worse a boyfriend, what then? Seeing them together would just crush me and I can’t do that to myself. I’d rather cut ties completely with Sasuke than go through that kind of pain.” Naruto admits resignedly.

        Gaara hugs Naruto from behind.

        “Alright, I won’t push you. I just don’t want my beloved cousin to have any huge regrets about his crush for five years that he never had the courage to confess to.” Gaara comforts him.

        “Haha, like your confession was so great. You spilt your tray on Neji in our sophomore year of high school and while he was crying soy sauce out of his eyes and pulling sticky rice from his hair you burst out “Date me” really loud in front of the whole cafeteria.” Naruto reminisces chuckling.

        “Say what you want but from then on Neji and I both think soy sauce is sexy.” Gaara jokes.

        “You are out of your mind.” Naruto laughs.

        “You would know.” Gaara kids.

        They spend the rest of the time preparing the dip teasing each other and when they finish they watch Home Alone on Netflix before heading off to bed since it will be an early start tomorrow if they want to get to the Christmas party before anyone else.

 

 

                                                                                    

                                                  *********************************************

 

 

                                                                                 **Morning of the Christmas Party**

 

            At six a.m. Naruto and Gaara walk in the classroom door only to hear someone squeal as they enter.

           “Yes! Caught under the mistletoe.” Ino screams pointing at him and Gaara.

           Naruto and Gaara both look up to see mistletoe hanging above the door.

          “Son of a -” Naruto starts but Ino squeals really loud again as she holds up an iPhone.

          “Come on you two, you have to kiss.” She says smiling.

          Sakura and Neji are already there too. Neji looks pissed off while Hinata is blushing really bad. Naruto guesses she’d probably been caught by the mistletoe gimmick too.

          “Put the phone down.” Gaara growls at Ino.

          “Nuh-uh.” She replies grinning.

          “Neji.” Gaara commands.

          Neji swipes Ino’s phone and as he does Gaara turned and kisses Naruto on the mouth. Just a brief kiss, but Naruto can feel Neji’s eyes burn a whole in him from across the room. He is just glad Ino won’t be able to post this to the school website. Sometimes it sucked to have a classmate on the school newspaper.

          “There, happy?” Gaara asks bringing in the bowl of 3 layer dip and some chips they’d brought.

          “No, I really wanted some BL pics for the newspaper.” Ino groans.

          “So who else has fallen victim to it so far?” Naruto asks putting his own saran wrapped plate of coated pretzels on the table cloth covered desks that are already half full of food.

          “Sakura and Hinata were the first ones that I know of.” Ino admits taking her phone back from Neji.

          Every year for the Christmas party someone pulls a practical joke. Last year had been hidden whoopee cushions, the year before had been spring loaded confetti that fell every time someone turned on a light switch. The time before that had been hidden speakers that played loud animal sounds every ten minutes; it had taken them three hours to find them all. Though the weirdest prank so far had been the one were pineapples kept randomly popping up.

          Someone would go do something or turn around and there would be a pineapple. On the floor, on desks, hanging from doors, falling from the ceiling. It had been just really weird. They’d each taken home over three pineapples a piece at the end of that Christmas party.

          The oddest thing though was that no one knew who was doing it. It was always done before anyone arrived the next day no matter how early. Naruto and Kiba had even overnight staked out the place to try and catch the responsible party but no one had ever shown up. That was also the Christmas party of the miraculous appearing pineapples.

          All they knew was that it had been going on for six years. And apparently this year the prankster had decided to take a traditional approach with mistletoe.

         “So why haven’t you taken it down yet.” Naruto asks.

         “Kakashi-sensei said we can’t remove it until he catches Principal Iruka under it at least once.” Sakura answers pulling a chair over to one of the food covered desks.

         “That pervert.” Naruto comments.

         Naruto and Gaara add their ornament boxes to the already towering stack. After doing a quick count Naruto notes that there is at least one other person there besides those present in the room.

         “Who else is here?” Gaara asks noticing the same thing.

         “Sai, and no it’s not him because he came together with me.” Ino says playing on her phone.

         Damnit they are never going to find out who the prankster is. At first they all thought it was Kakashi, but he is allergic to pineapple and he hadn’t been present one year because of the flu. They’d all compared notes and come to school at different times with different people and still hadn’t figured it out. They wondered if it was someone from a different class or a collaborator, but so far had failed at catching them. This is the last year and also the last shot they have at finding out who it is.

         Since it is still two hours before everyone is supposed to get to the school they broke out a deck of playing cards and Uno and started playing. As others started arriving they were dealt a hand and joined in. Lee got caught arriving with Kiba which lead to another kiss under the mistletoe. Ino did get a pick of that. And when Ino came back from the bathroom she ran into Kiba who was leaving the room for the bathroom, so Kiba was caught twice.

         Kiba was later seen professing his undying love to Hinata again who just could not stop giggling. Neji narrowly avoided getting caught with Shikamaru under the mistletoe who tripped at the door on a playing card that Neji was fetching after Naruto had thrown them all up in the air because he had lost for the fourteenth time in a row.

         Sasuke was the last to arrive, and after adding his ornament box and a box of handmade donuts from his older brother Itachi’s bakery to the food desks the party began. First they play musical chairs for a reward of five bucks. When it comes down to the last three chairs it gets deadly competitive. No one is against shoving, pinching, or ripping chairs out from under butts that have almost touched the worn plastic seats. It gets so bad they have to have a referee.

          In the end Kakashi wins the first game through nefarious means. Hinata wins the second one because Naruto and Kiba end up tackling each other and breaking a chair. And Shikamaru wins the last one because of a scream that comes from another room and he was the only one too lazy to pay attention to it. Turns out Suigetsu brought a frog to school and sicked it on Karin who hates frogs and in vengeance tried to strangle him.

          After musical chairs they play bingo for chocolate Santas, and “guess that thing” for candy canes. Shikamaru is excluded from “guess that thing” because he always gets it right the first guess no matter what. Next is a scavenger hunt that takes them all across the school finding things that are written on a piece of paper that they drew randomly from a Christmas stocking. When Kiba gets his paper he grabs Naruto’s arm and says “Here’s my bro-mance.”

         They check his paper and it really did say to bring “a bro-mance.” Gaara ironically enough gets bring “a frog” which he borrows from Suigetsu. Neji gets “a cafeteria tray.” Ino gets “a bandage” which is found in the nurse’s office. Sasuke gets the elusive “Kakashi-sensei” who does run from him but is caught thanks to a joint capture effort on the second floor stairwell. Sakura gets “a set of gym clothes” which she filches from the lost and found. Hinata gets “a porn magazine”, which she embarrassedly receives from Juugo with the rest of the B class watching the exchange with wide eyes.

          Lee gets “a bag of marshmallows” which he runs to the nearby mini-mart to purchase. Shikamaru gets “an angel” on his, so he walks very slowly while yawning to the principal’s office and asks Iruka to come to the room. Sai and Naruto are the only one’s unable to complete theirs. Sai has “a pretty girl” which he says he can’t find anywhere. This earns him a smack from Ino and Sakura and a chorused “Dude!” from all the guys.

          Naruto had gotten his paper and had barely stopped himself from sputtering. The scrap of white had read “a love interest”. Naruto wants to kick whoever had written it. He does glance at Sasuke from the corner of his eye but knows it is impossible for him to boldly grab his arm like Kiba had him and announce “Got my love interest.” As it is he smacks his head and thinks of what to do. He can always find some guy or girl from another class and introduce them as a love interest but that won’t be fair to them if it turns out they thought he was serious. He could explain the problem to them and they might agree to go along with it to help him out but he would feel like he was betraying his feelings for Sasuke by doing something like that.

         In the end Naruto just gives up and decides to accept defeat along with Sai. Those that lose the scavenger hunt have to clean a toilet in the bathroom with a toothbrush. So he and Sai are given their soap buckets, toothbrushes, and twenty minutes to clean a toilet under Kakashi’s watch while everyone else starts a game of black jack for Hershey kisses. They get to the bathroom and each take a toilet. They put on gloves and start scrubbing, while Kakashi hurls orders at them to scrub faster and polish the toilet seats till they shine. Secretly he and Sai agree to put the toothbrushes in Kakashi-sensei’s desk drawer so he won’t find them till after the break and they’d had a whole two weeks to marinate amongst his personal belongings.

          After taking the buckets and gloves back to the janitor’s closet Sai and Naruto go back to the classroom. As they open the door and begin to walk through at the same time, Naruto realizes they had forgotten something very important.

          “Ahhhh!”

          “Hey they walked through at the same time under the mistletoe!” Sakura cries out as Ino points after letting out the squeal from earlier.

           Naruto looks up at the cursed mistletoe which he has been caught under twice now.

           “Hmm, interesting development.” Sai says following Naruto’s gaze to the mistletoe.

           “Hehe, come on now you two, pucker up!” Kiba says rubbing his hands gleefully.

           Ino is already readying her cellphone for a picture and Sakura joins her.

           “Hah, alright come on Sai.” Naruto says giving in and turning to face Sai. Sai looks back at Naruto before moving in and placing his hand on the back of Naruto’s neck, pulling him in and kissing him full on the mouth. Naruto is surprised by how soft and gentle Sai’s kiss is. Admittedly the kiss goes on longer than it probably should, but Naruto isn’t all that concerned, and when they part Sakura has stars in her eyes and Ino is slightly drooling behind her cellphone. Naruto glances over at Sasuke but the dude isn’t even looking at him, instead he is too busy being engrossed in shuffling cards for another hand of black jack.

           Whatever hopes Naruto may have had for that kiss stirring up some jealousy in Sasuke die instantly. After that they eat the food and dance to some rock Christmas carols before deciding to do the ornament opening. As usual Sakura goes to the stack of boxes and shuffles them around so no one can be certain which box they had set down. Then she picks up the one on the far left and opens the envelope.

           “Lee.” She says then passes the box along to Lee who takes the box and opens it while they all watch.

           Lee opens the box carefully and pulls out an ornament the size of a baseball that is folded and shaped in shining colored tin foil. It looks like an ark and there is a door with a tiny door knob that folds out. Inside are little folded animals in every color, from frogs to birds, and even a unicorn. It is quite pretty and very delicate. Everyone knows only Hinata has that kind of skill.

           Next is Neji whose ornament is a small knitted gray and black raccoon animal with little buttons for eyes. Kiba opens his gift to find a cube with each side painted with a very detailed two inch by two inch image of the four seasons and the top and bottom sides with a daylight sky and a nighttime sky. It is very beautiful and Naruto bets it was Sai’s work because Neji isn’t really into painting scenery.

           Ino comes next and she opens hers to find a small sewn stuffed cloud with a shooting star. Stitched across it are the words “wish upon a star and dream upon a cloud.” If Naruto remembers right that is one of Ino’s favorite sentences from a picture book she’d had since third grade and loves more than her cellphone. Ino tries her best not to cry and hugs the cushiony ornament to her chest.

          The next ornament box goes to Shikamaru who opens his to find a miniature chess board with actual chess pieces on it. There are strange lines across the board tiles and when Shikamaru presses a button on the bottom some of the chess pieces move to different spots. Naruto thinks it is really cool and it must have taken a lot of work to get the pieces to move just right.

          After Shikamaru, Sai opens his which is an abstract ornament made of wire, glass beads, and rhinestones. It is a transparent purple hour glass with sparkling dust falling inside with spiraling outer rings made of copper and gold wire with glass beads that when pushed to the top would slide slowly down the wires to the bottom. Rhinestones decorate the hourglass and sparkle in the light.

          Naruto knows the piece is Gaara’s work because he had had to help hold things together while Gaara secured the different pieces. Following Sai is Sasuke. He opens his ornament box to find an angel made completely out of wire threaded together almost like a knit sweater. Her dress is silver wire, her hair was gold wire and her wings are white and turquoise colored wire. At her side she holds a copper wire sword, and in her right hand is a white wire bird. She looks more like an archangel than an angel but that fits Sasuke.

          Gaara’s ornament is a miniature snow globe with two guitars inside that change colors and play not a Christmas song but a rock song by Gaara’s favorite band. Plus when the song plays the guitars inside turn in a circle. Sakura’s ornament is a regular shaped ball ornament but a snowman petting a reindeer with a chipmunk sitting on his head has been painted beautifully on its surface.

          Hinata is second to last and when she opens her box she gasps. Inside is a small hand carved wooden wreath made up of all her favorite flowers. There are sunflowers, roses, lilacs, tulips, daffodils, tiger lilies, and wild dandelions all carved and flowing together to form a harmonious wreath. Naruto doesn’t have the skill to paint, but even with just a top coat to make it shine it is breathtaking. He had spent a month of tedious after school hours carefully carving the wreath, and the one in Hinata’s hand is actually his eighth attempt. He can tell she loves it though and that made it all worth it.

           The last ornament to open is Naruto’s. He takes the box and carefully unwraps it before pulling the ornament out. It is a gold coated ball about the size of a tennis ball that has a thin gold chain coming out of the top. On the side is a small hole that looks to Naruto like a keyhole. The ball ornament is decorated with swirling black lines that make it look like a mystical artifact. Naruto checks the box for a key but doesn’t find one. Everyone else is already starting to play another game so he places the ornament back in the box and moves it to the side of the room so it won’t get damaged like everyone else has done. But that keyhole nags at him in the back of his mind for the rest of the party.

            When the school bell chimed at 3 p.m. everyone starts cleaning up the food and games. They will leave the decorations till they get back from break, but they do unplug the Christmas lights and empty the trash. Everyone of course splits up to go home as usual. Naruto sees Sasuke head off to B class and reaches his hand out as if to stop him but pulls back instead at the last second. He just can’t tell Sasuke how he feels, and maybe it’s better if they continue to drift apart. He will move to Suna, Sasuke will stay in Konoha, marry, have kids, and live a good life. Maybe they will cross paths in their old age and Naruto will have someone special by then to. Yeah maybe that will happen, it would just take fifty years that’s all.

            Naruto leaves with Gaara and Neji. Shikamaru says he has something to do and Kiba is going to a movie with Hinata right after they drop their stuff off at her home. As the three of them walk home Neji and Gaara hold hands and Naruto has a sudden idea to ditch the two lovebirds, so they can be alone.

            “Ahh!” Naruto exclaims.

           “What is it Naruto?” Gaara asked as they turn back to look at him.

           They are also standing really close because they are sharing Gaara’s scarf.

           “I just realized I forgot my ornament in the classroom, so I’m gonna go back and get it.” Naruto tells them.

           “Okay we’ll come with -” Gaara starts to reply.

          “No, no it’s alright you guys just keep going, I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” Naruto promises as he turns back towards the school.

          “Okay. See you at home.” Gaara calls after him.

          Naruto walks for a few minutes before turning to see Neji and Gaara a good ways off now he has to kill time so that he doesn’t run into them going home. He hadn’t forgotten the ornament it was in his blue jacket pocket. He pulls it out and looks at it again. It is really nice but Naruto is still stuck up on that keyhole. Maybe it fell out on the floor he wonders. It will take Neji and Gaara another fifteen minutes to reach home so he can go scour the classroom floor for the elusive key for at least a little bit. Having decided on that Naruto goes back to the school. The doors are still unlocked, but almost everyone has already gone home. He waves to Kakashi-sensei who is headed to Iruka’s office with what looks like a fruit cake and a card.

           He opens the classroom door and takes off his jacket since the heaters are still working in the room. He leaves his scarf on and starts checking the floor for a key on his hands and knees. Naruto looks under desks and chairs. He even sweeps the floor in hopes of it having fallen somewhere in a crevice. All he manages to find are two dimes, a hair pin, and food crumbs from the party. Sighing he gives up and decides he better just go home. Maybe he can jimmy the lock open with wire. Gaara is really good with wire maybe he can pick it. Just as he is thinking this he hears someone speak from across the room.

          “What are you doing here Naruto?”

          The voice is deep and full of itself. It sends shivers down Naruto’s spine and makes him jump in surprise, then makes his heart jump for a whole other reason.

         “Sasuke! Jesus man don’t scare me like that, I could have had a heart attack.” Naruto scolds him, trying to calm his heart down.

         “Sorry. You didn’t answer my question.” Sasuke reminds him leaning against the door frame.

          Sasuke is wearing a black turtle neck shirt over dark blue jeans, an Uchiha fan necklace dangles around his neck and his hair is up in its usual weird rooster tail spike that would only look good on Sasuke. As usual he looks really hot and Naruto has to remind himself not to look for very long or it will cause trouble.

          “Ah, well I’m kind of looking for a key.” Naruto says rubbing the back of his head.

          “A key?” Sasuke asks bewildered.

          “Yeah.” Naruto replies suddenly finding interest in the hem of his shirt sleeve.

           It is an old cotton shirt that is bright orange with long blue and white horizontal striped sleeves.

          “Naruto do you have a problem with me?” Sasuke asks him.

          Sasuke’s question surprises Naruto; so much that he looks back up at him and meets his eyes for probably the first time in years.

         “No, why would I have a problem with you Sasuke?” Naruto asks nervously.

         Sasuke crosses his arms and stares at Naruto.

         “You know it’s always been on my mind how you started acting differently towards me in our freshman year.” Sasuke tells him.

         Naruto gulps involuntarily.

         “You suddenly stopped coming over to my house. You wouldn’t come to the bakery anymore. You always had something else come up when I invited you to hang out without one of the other guys.” Sasuke explains.

         Naruto can’t deny that he had done all that, he’d been frantic and freaking out about his new found sexuality, and he had been so scared that Sasuke would hate him. Sure Sasuke was okay with Neji and Gaara, but that’s because they were separate from him. Hanging out with a gay isn’t the same as being in a gay relationship or being the target in an unrequited gay love.

         “You stopped sleeping in the library where we always hung out after school, you stopped calling me _baka_ , and you even stopped looking me in the eye Naruto. So tell me Naruto, what is it that is so wrong with me that you can’t even stand to look at me.” Sasuke demands.

          His eyes are hard and sad as they look at Naruto. And Naruto feels the pain and loneliness there. They had both lost a friend because of his selfish actions years ago the only difference is one of them knows why, and he doesn’t know what to say.

         “Sasuke. I’m… I’m sorry.” Is all Naruto could manage to say.

         “Who cares if you’re sorry!” Sasuke shouts banging his hand into the door frame. ”You freaking ditched me, your best friend Naruto! And I want to know why!”

         So this is it huh. This is how it will all come out. If Naruto ever thought there was a worse time for his confession he can’t think of it now. But at the same time Sasuke is right, he does deserve to know why things had soured between them, especially since he hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d just been him and that is what had driven Naruto crazy. Crazy for Sasuke Uchiha.

         “Fine you freaking baka! You want to know why I started avoiding you! It’s because I found out I’m in love with you!” Naruto shouts back at him.

         All those years of holding it back and now it’s out there. Naruto feels immense relief followed by sudden queasiness. Sasuke just stares at him stunned and Naruto feels his heart shrivel with the utter shock splayed across the face of the guy he loves.

        “What?” Sasuke half whispers.

         Naruto smiles sadly, this is so much worse than any scenario he had played in his head.

         “Need me to say it again Sasuke? I love you. A guy. Since eighth grade. I got a boner after gym class after seeing you come out of the shower. When we were alone together I was afraid I’d give in to temptation and stroke your hair or leave a hickey on the white skin of your neck were everyone could see it. When we went to your room it smelled just like you and I would get so horny I couldn’t go anymore. As for the bakery Itachi is really intuitive, I was afraid he’d figure out my feelings for you and tell you so I stopped going. I stopped talking to you because it hurt that I couldn’t tell you how I felt. I’m sorry I was a shit friend Sasuke but I couldn’t be your friend with these feelings. I’ve tried burying them deep or switching them to someone else but love doesn’t work that way.” Naruto confesses in a rush.

          Naruto takes a gasping breath feeling his emotions become more and more ragged as he confesses everything he’s been holding in from Sasuke these past five years; he just hopes he can handle the aftermath.

         “If you’re freaked out by this, that’s okay. I can switch desks with someone so we’re as far apart as the room allows or I’m sure Kakashi will let you switch to B class so you can be together with Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo. And as for after graduation there’s nothing to worry about since I won’t be here.” Naruto finishes.

         There, he had said it all, now he just has to wait and see what Sasuke decides to do. Sasuke doesn’t say anything just walks across the room to Naruto and grabs him by the front of his shirt. Shit he’s going to punch me Naruto thinks, but he won’t stop him, no he’ll take it and remember the pain it caused for the next time he thoughtlessly falls in love with someone so obviously out of his reach.

        “You. God. Damned. Dobe!” Sasuke hisses out at him.

        Naruto closes his eyes waiting for Sasuke’s fist to connect with his face. The fist never collides instead something warm and moist touches Naruto’s mouth. Naruto’s eyes shoot open in surprise and he reflexively pushes Sasuke away.

       “What the-” Naruto sputters.

       “What you can let Sai kiss you under the mistletoe but you can’t let the man who loves you kiss you?” Sasuke asks with an eyebrow cocked.

       Naruto feels his brain crash.

       “Wha-.., you-…, wha-…, Sasuke!” Naruto finally finishes with his name at a lack for other words.

       “Oh the dobe finally gets it does he. And here it only took six years.” Sasuke scoffs.

       Naruto feels the gears in his brain come to a slamming halt, before pulling double time in reverse order. Back up, Naruto has liked Sasuke for five years and now Sasuke is telling him that for all five of those years his unrequited love has been mutual and Sasuke has been the one with an unrequited love the whole time and not Naruto. The world could have exploded at that second and it still would not have been as surprising as what Sasuke has just told him.

       “Well if you need a reason for me to kiss you again dobe then I’ll get the mistletoe.” Sasuke says turning towards the door.

        Naruto grabs his shoulder and yanks him back.

        “Forget the mistletoe baka.” He says before crushing their mouths together again.

        It is gentle at first with their lips melding together, and then Sasuke creeps his tongue forward and nudges it against Naruto’s closed lips wanting permission to enter. Naruto parts his lips and meets Sasuke’s tongue with his own, more than eager to entwine them together. Naruto has kissed someone many times before, but he hasn’t ever been as intent on devouring them as he is with Sasuke and being devoured in return.

        They pull apart for air and their tongue’s make a slicking sound as they part. Naruto gasps already feeling his heart racing. He squeezes his legs together to somewhat hide his growing erection. Sasuke sees him slightly fidget and grabs Naruto by the waist and hoists him onto a desk.

        “Gah!” Naruto cries out as Sasuke lifts him suddenly and puts him in a sitting position on the desk.

        Then without warning he reaches forward and grabs Naruto’s cock through his pants.

        “Holy hell! Sasuke!” Naruto shouts at Sasuke and his sudden handsyness.

        “Don’t touch it you baka! Mmmph!” Naruto covers his mouth to strangle his cries as Sasuke fondles him through the fabric.

        This stupid jerk Naruto thinks as he bites onto his finger while Sasuke rubs his member. He’s just as arrogant and selfish as he had been in the past. Naruto tries desperately to hold in his voice, but his fingers aren’t enough so he grabs the front of his shirt and shoves it in his mouth so he can bite the fabric.

       “Hmmph. Mmph.” He moans from behind the fabric tears gathering in his eyes from the sensations.

        All this while Sasuke is watching him, holding Naruto’s free hand to the desk with his own and stroking him through his jeans with the other. For six years he had been having wet dreams about Naruto and today they are finally a reality, and he isn’t going to miss a second of it. He thinks it’s adorable that Naruto is trying to hold back his voice, especially since he wants him to scream out his name till his voice is raw. But that can come at a later date when there is a bed and soundproof walls so no one can hear his angels voice but him.

         When Naruto pulls the shirt into his mouth it raises the fabric up off his hips and reveales his stomach a bit. Sasuke sees the tan skin and follows his urge to attack it. He moves forward and grazes the skin with his teeth.

         “Haarumph!” Naruto chokes on the shirt fabric in his mouth in surprise.

         Sasuke smiles against his skin then takes it between his teeth and bites. Naruto makes another noise followed by a moan as he sucks on the bite mark. When Sasuke pulls away a new dark hickey decorates Naruto’s skin. He looks up to see Naruto with red cheeks and half lidded eyes that have tears at the edges. He is clearly overwhelmed by sensations and Sasuke decides he loves that look on him.

          Sasuke stops stroking Naruto’s cock and instead reaches for the zipper on his jeans and undoes it. Bright blue boxer briefs peek out and Sasuke grabs the edge of his pants legs and tugs them off Naruto before flinging them to the floor with his socks and shoes which he has yanked off with the jeans. He reaches for the top of Naruto’s underwear but Naruto grabs his hands to stop him as he spits the piece of shirt from his mouth.

        “Sasuke…, _huff, huff_ ….hold… _huff_ …on.” Naruto gasps out, his grip on Sasuke firm and unyielding.

       “Why, you want this just as much as I do.” Sasuke says trying to break Naruto’s grip.

        “I do. But not here. Not here in the classroom at school. And not before we fully sort things out.” Naruto reason’s with Sasuke.

        Sasuke growls. He knows Naruto is right but his dick is rock hard behind his pants and it very much wants to progress with the earlier events.

        “Please Sasuke.” Naruto begs.

        “Fine.” Sasuke says giving in.

         He has waited six years he can wait a little longer.

         “Thank you Sasuke.” Naruto says leaning forward and kissing him. Sasuke kisses him back re-exploring Naruto’s mouth with his tongue. When they part Naruto reaches forward and unzips Sasuke’s pants, and boldly reaches in and pulls out his erected ccok.

         “Naruto?” Sasuke questions.

        They had just decided to wait so why is he doing this. Naruto smiles at Sasuke and pulls him forward at the same time as he lowers his boxer briefs and pulls out his own cock. Sasuke gasps as Naruto touches their dicks together both slick with precum.

        “We won’t do it but I can’t make it home like this and neither can you.” He whispers in Sasuke’s ear as he strokes both of them together at the same time.

         Sasuke groans against Naruto and reaches his hand down to help get them both off. Naruto’s hand and dick are warm and moist against his own. Before long they are both gasping and unconsciously thrusting against each other. He pushes Naruto back on the desk till he is lying down and lifts his legs. He slips the blue underwear from Naruto’s legs before shoving them wide open. He positions himself so that his dick is right above Naruto’s and begins thrusting against him. Their penises rub against each other as he moves making wet squelching noises.

         Naruto feels his head spin as Sasuke thrusts against his dick while pinning him down on the desk. He’s imagined this kind of scenario before in his head but it had never been as hot and vivid as the cock currently sliding hotly against his own. He presses himself closer to Sasuke and begins thrusting his hips upward feeling his orgasm get imminently closer, but he’ll be damned if he got off before Sasuke. He reaches his hand down and strokes Sasuke as he thrusts against him. Sasuke immediately tenses and chokes out “Naruto” before quickening his pace.

          Naruto can feel Sasuke swell in his hand and it delights him to know he is the cause of it. Feeling him-self about to lose it Naruto quickly yanks his scarf from around his neck and shoves it down over their cocks just as he comes. He manages to cover his mouth and muffle his cries as cum coats the underside of his scarf. Sasuke suddenly lets out a loud groan and Naruto feels more moisture join his own cum beneath the scarf. He will have to wash it at home without anyone finding out, especially baa-chan. After all she had made it to keep him warm not help keep his clothes clean when he and his crush decided to beat one off against each other at school.

         Sasuke collapses on top of him letting his weight fall on Naruto. Naruto hugs Sasuke to him as they catch their breath. His body tingles and he feels little aftershocks tremble across his skin. He feels Sasuke’s heart race through their shirts. He can’t stop the smile that spreads across his face. Sasuke is his. He didn’t reject him. He didn’t want to never see him again. No instead Sasuke wants to date him, kiss him, and probably fuck him till he can’t remember what it was like not having a dick shoved as deep in his ass as it can possibly go. Or at least Naruto hopes that last part is true, because that is seriously what he wants to do.

         “Naruto I swear to God the minute I get you in my room I am sticking my dick in your asshole and fucking you until you can’t remember what it’s like not having a cock shoved up your ass.” Sasuke promises.

         It takes every bit of Naruto’s self-control not to get another erection and just offer his ass up to Sasuke to pound his dick into until morning right there in the classroom. He’d listened to Gaara about his sex life with Neji but if this was any sign, he and Sasuke are going to be even worse than bunnies going at it. Thank God it is winter break!

         They stay hugging each other half naked for a few more minutes before Naruto shoves Sasuke off and they start cleaning up the mess caused by their sexual escapade. Naruto’s scarf is completely soaked so he throws it in the plastic bag he had been carrying his ornament and pretzel container in. He takes them out of course before putting the sullied cloth in. As he removes the box with his ornament he remembers why he came back to the school in the first place.

         The key that fit into the ornament, he hasn’t been able to find it. Naruto takes the ornament out of the box and held it in his palm as he stares at it. It is just a solid gold ball covered in swirling black lines except for that one little indented hole. He peers at it even closer as Sasuke continues cleaning behind him. There is something strange about the hole. He thought it was for a key earlier but looking closer he sees the hole is squareish in shape, like something slotted in and turned but not necessarily a key. In fact the shape actually reminds him of-.

         Naruto feels a light bulb go off in his head. Without wasting a second he reaches up to a cord around his neck and yanks it from under his shirt. On it is a small blue crystal with two silver beads on either side. The necklace was a gift from Sasuke when he turned 13. Naruto had been wearing the necklace every day for the last six years. Even after his friendship with Sasuke had ended he’d worn the necklace under his shirt so that Sasuke would never guess what it meant that he still wore it. In fact the only ones that know he still has the necklace are Gaara and Shikamaru.

         Naruto slips the necklace off and presses the crystal into the keyhole. It slides in smoothly. Naruto turns the crystal to the right and hears a click and the sound of moving gears inside before a recording starts and a familiar deep voice comes from the little ornament.

         _“I love you Naruto.”_ Sasuke’s voice says from the ornament.

         Naruto feels his throat close and tears spring to his eyes. That baka had made an ornament professing his love to Naruto, just like Naruto had wanted to do for him. This is just too perfect. Naruto turns the crystal again and the ornament repeats its message. Behind him Naruto hears Sasuke drop something.

         “No way. You... you still have the necklace?” Sasuke says as Naruto turns to see his shocked face.

         “I’ve been wearing it the whole time.” Naruto says laughing.

         Sasuke blushes red and Naruto kisses his cheek.

         “You know I was going to confess my love for you with an ornament too, but I guess you beat me to it.”

         “Christmas isn’t here yet. There’s still time.” Sasuke says hugging Naruto’s waist and pulling him close.

         “So there is.” Naruto replies kissing Sasuke.

         And now they can spend Christmas together not as friends, not as best friends, and not even as ex-friends, but as boyfriends the way they have both wanted to for a very long time. Best Christmas present ever Naruto thinks as he leaves the school hand in hand with Sasuke.

        From a window on the second floor of the school a shadow watches the love birds go before slinking to the homeroom of class A. Shikamaru reaches up and pulls the mistletoe down from the door and puts it in the pocket of his jacket, before turning the lights off in the classroom and shutting the door.

        Shikamaru had been together with Naruto and Sasuke since fifth grade. He’d realized their feelings for each other before even they had. The only problem was that both his friends were stubborn as mules and not yet mature enough to handle the feelings that threatened to erupt from them. So for six years he had planned, schemed, and plotted on how to hook them up in the most emotionally moving way he could that would let them realize their feelings for each other all on their own. It had been a long hard battle but Shikamaru was a strategist and even though it had taken six years to finally declare checkmate he had succeeded and all it had taken was six years of Christmas party pranks which he had to admit he had enjoyed.

        All the pranks beforehand had been nothing but distractions, just decoys for the true purpose which had been the unsuspected mistletoe and getting either Naruto or Sasuke to get jealous enough to finally make a move. It had worked just like he planned. The only surprise had been Sasuke’s ornament. When Shikamaru saw Naruto open it he had guessed at its purpose, and was relieved. But when Naruto went home with Gaara and Neji without their having been a confession he had gotten annoyed so he went and stalled Sasuke from leaving, betting against all odds that Naruto’s curiosity about the keyhole’s missing key would get the better of him and he would come back to the classroom to look for it.

       Shikamaru’s bet had paid off. When he couldn’t stall Sasuke anymore he had popped by the classroom to see Naruto there and quickly texted Sasuke saying he saw the classroom light on and wanted Sasuke to go turn it off before he left cause he was too lazy to go back inside and do it. Sasuke had replied he would do it, so Shikamaru snuck up the back stairwell and waited. Thirty-five minutes and some suspicious noises from down the hall later Shikamaru watched them leave the building with a triumphant smile on his face. Shikamaru was lazy but he would always help his friends out. Even if they didn’t know he was doing it. After all that was what best friends were for.

**Author's Note:**

> Believe it or not this story has some roots in my own personal life. When I was 11 years old I developed a crush on a boy named Ewald. We actually attended the same schools from 5th grade all the way to senior year in highschool. I was in the same class as him a a few times but even though we even had assigned seats next to each other at one time I was just too shy to ever say anything much less confess I liked him. So for 7 years I secretly held a crush for him. I thought of asking him to prom in senior year but just couldn't do it. I had no friends in common with him and I get embarrassed way to easily. Now that a few years have passed since then I regret not going up to him and asking him to prom or even to be friends. I will always regret that, and even now if I saw him my first instinct would be to hide, but maybe I would also think this is it, at least ask him how he is doing and see if he even knows who you are. And if he does remember me, well that would just make my day.
> 
> Anyone out there who has a long time crush that is unattached, take a shot at confessing and if it doesn't go well you have friends and family that will be there for you. And if it does go well kudos to you, now you just have to figure it out form there. Just don't regret never confessing. Its a bittersweet feeling trust me. Rejection hurts, but at least you aren't left with the unsure knowledge of what could have been.
> 
> Merry Christmas.


End file.
